A subject of the invention is an articulated arm for loading and unloading products, in particular fluid products, such as for example petroleum products (liquefied natural gas . . . ).
More particularly it relates to a balanced loading arm equipped with a hydraulic coupling allowing a transfer to be carried out between two vessels moored side-by-side, between a vessel and a platform or a floating barge moored side-by-side, or also between a jetty on which the loading arm is installed and a vessel moored alongside this jetty.
Such loading arms are known, in particular from patent application FR 2 813 873. This document describes a connection-assistance system which is composed principally of a constant-tension system (winch, jack, counterweight or other), and a so-called conventional winch, installed at the connection system of the loading arm.
The aim of the invention is to eliminate the risks of impacts between the end of the manifold of the vessel and the coupling means of the loading arm. In particular it aims to permit the connection/disconnection of the loading arm to vessels in difficult meteorological conditions.